Woven Stone
Artwork ID # 2306-39125-40
This is one of many geologically spectacular sandstone formations in the world. It can be found in an area known as Coyote Buttes North which is a small part of a 112,500 acre area known as the Paria-Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness which is protected by the Bureau of Land Management in Northern Arizona.
Here crossbeds of Navajo Sandstone exhibit colorful banding in surreal hues of yellow, orange, pink, and red - caused by the precipitation of manganese, iron and other oxides. These thin veins of multicolored calcite cut across large swaths of sandstone, adding an otherworldly dimension to the landscape. To give an idea of scale, the distance between the lower left hand corner bands and the back wall in the upper right is more than 40 yards long, almost half the length of a football field. Visitors must apply for a permit to visit these fragile areas.
